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{{Short description|Honorific title}}
{{redirect|Batir|the commune in Cimişlia district, Moldova|Batîr}}
{{wikt | bahadur}}
'''Baghatur''' is a historical [[Turkic peoples |Turkic]] and [[Mongols |Mongol]] honorific title,<ref>Ed. Herbert Franke and others – ''The Cambridge History of China'': Volume 6, Alien Regimes and Border States, 710–1368, p. 567.</ref> in origin a term for "[[hero]]" or "valiant warrior". The Papal envoy [[Plano Carpini]] ({{circa}} 1185–1252) compared the title with the equivalent of European Knighthood.<ref>James Chambers ''The Devil's horsemen: the Mongol invasion of Europe'', p. 107.</ref>
[[File:The_Soviet_Union_1988_CPA_5991_stamp_(Koblandy_Batyr,_Kazakh_epic_poem._I._Isabaevl).jpg|thumb|Illustration of "Koblandy Batyr," a Kazakh [[epic poem]], on a Soviet stamp.]]
The word was common among the Mongols and became especially widespread, as an honorific title, in the [[Mongol Empire]] in the 13th century; the title persisted in its successor-states, and later came to be adopted also as a [[regnal title]] in the [[Ilkhanate]] and the [[Timurid dynasty]], among others.{{cn|date=October 2023}}
The concept of the Baghatur is present in Turco-Mongol folklore, one instance is the [[Bashkirs|Bashkir]]  epic poem [[Ural-batyr]] . The [[Bogatyr]] of Eastern Slavic [[Bylina|legends]] is derived from the [[Turkic languages|turkic]] term. Baghaturs were heroes of extraordinary courage, fearlessness, and decisiveness, often portrayed as being descended from heaven and capable of performing extraordinary deeds. Baghatur was the heroic ideal Turco-Mongol warriors strove to live up to, hence its use as a military honorific of glory.{{cn|date=October 2023}}
==Etymology and distribution==
{{expand section|date=January 2021}}
The term was first used by the steppe peoples to the north and west of [[China proper]] as early as the 7th century as evidenced in [[Sui dynasty]] records.<ref>C. Fleischer, ''"Bahādor"'', in ''[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]''</ref><ref>Grousset 194.</ref> It is attested for the [[Second Turkic Khaganate]] in the 6th century, and among the [[Bulgars]] of the [[First Bulgarian Empire]] in the 6th century.  Some authors claim Iranian origin of the word,  the first syllable is very likely the [[Iranian languages|Iranian]] title word [[Bey|*''bag'']] "god, lord".<ref name="Beckwith3872">{{harvnb|Beckwith|2009|p=387}}</ref> According to [[Gerard Clauson]], ''bağatur'' by origin almost certainly a Xiongnu (which Clauson proposes to be [[Hunnic language|Hunnic]]) name, and specifically of the second Xiongnu Chanyu, whose name was transliterated by the [[Han Chinese]] as {{zh|s=冒頓|labels=no}} (with ''-n'' for foreign ''-r''), now pronounced [[Modun Chanyu|''Mòdùn'' ~ ''Màodùn'']] in [[standard Chinese]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Sir Gerard Clauson|title=An Etymological Dictionary of Pre-Thirteenth-Century Turkish|pages=301–400|year=1972}}</ref><ref>[[Edwin G. Pulleyblank|Pulleyblank, E.G.]] (1999). [https://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=161177 "The Peoples of the Steppe Frontier in Early Chinese Sources"] ''Migracijske teme'' 15 1–2. footnote 3 on p. 45 of pp. 35–61</ref>
The word was introduced in many cultures as a result of the Turco-Mongol conquests, and now exists in different forms in various languages: {{langx|otk|𐰉𐰍𐰀|Baga}}; {{langx|mn|{{MongolUnicode|ᠪᠠᠭᠠᠲᠦᠷ}}}} ''Baγatur'', [[Khalkha Mongolian]]: Баатар ''Bātar''; {{zh|t=巴特爾}}; {{langx|ota|بهادر|bahadır}}; {{langx|tr|Bağatur, Batur, Bahadır}}; {{langx|ru|Богатырь [[Bogatyr]]}}; {{langx|bg|Багатур Bagatur}}; {{langx|fa|بهادر}}; {{langx|pa|ਬਹਾਦੁਰ {{small|([[Gurmukhi]])}}, بہادر {{small|([[Shahmukhi]])}}}}, {{langx|ur|بہادر}}, Bulgarian and Russian: Багатур (Bagatur), [[Persian language|Persian]] ''Bahador'', [[Georgian language|Georgian]] ''Bagatur'', and [[Hindustani language|Hindi]] ''Bahadur''.
It is also preserved in the modern Turkic and Mongol languages as [[Altai language|Altai]] ''Баатыр (Baatïr)'', Turkish ''Batur/Bahadır'', [[Tatar language|Tatar]] and [[Kazakh language |Kazakh]] ''Батыр (Batyr)'', [[Uzbek language|Uzbek]] ''Batyr'' and [[Mongolian language|Mongolian]] ''Baatar'' (as in [[Ulaanbaatar]]).
It is the origin of a number of terms and names, such as ''Bahadur'' (in Persian, South Asian Muslim, Sikh and  other cultures), [[Bahadır]], [[Baturu]], [[Bey]], [[Mete]], [[Metehan]], {{langx|ru| Богатырь ([[Bogatyr]])|links=no}}, Polish ''[[:pl:Bohater|Bohater]]'' ({{lit|hero}}), {{langx|hu|Bátor|links=no}} (meaning "brave"), among others.
==Titles Incorporating ''Bahadur''==
''Bahadur'' was often included in titles in [[Mughal Empire]] and later during the [[British Raj]] to signify a higher level of honor above the title without the word. For example:
* ''[[Nawab Bahadur]]'', a [[title of honour]] bestowed during [[Mughal Empire]] and later during [[British Raj]].
* ''[[Rao Bahadur]]'' or ''Rai Bahadur'', a [[title of honour]] bestowed during [[British Raj|British rule]] in India
* ''[[Sawai (title)|Sawai]] Bahadur, used as a title for rulers of Kutch. See individuals below.
* Informally used to upgrade a title or title of address (often sarcastically) in South Asia. For example ''Saahab Bahadur'' (see, for example, the movie [[Saheb Bahadur]]); ''Company Bahadur'' (for the [[East India Company]]); ''Angrez Bahadur'' (for the [[British Raj]]);  and so on.
==List of individuals with this title==
The term '''Baghatur''' and its variants – '''Bahadur''', '''Bagatur''', or '''Baghadur''', was adopted by the following historical individuals:
*[[Modu Chanyu]], the founding [[chanyu]] of the [[Xiongnu]] empire.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/turk|title=TÜRK – TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi}}</ref>
*[[Tonyukuk]], military commander of [[Second Turkic Khaganate]].
*Bagatur Bagaina Sevar, 6th century commander in [[First Bulgarian Empire]]
*[[Alogobotur]], 10th century commander in the First Bulgarian Empire
*[[Habich Baghatur]], a tribal [[Khan (title)|Khan]] of [[Borjigin]] and son of the founder of Borijigid Clan [[Bodonchar Khan]]
*[[Bartan Bagatur]], the [[Borjigin]] prince and grandfather of [[Genghis Khan]]
*[[Yesugei]], the father of [[Genghis Khan]], is called Yesugei Baghatur
*The Mongol general [[Subutai]] is referred to in the ''[[Secret History of the Mongols]]'' as ''baghatur''.
*[[Il khan]] [[Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan]] took the title Ba'atur after his name for his victory over the rebellion of the Mongol Keraits in Iran.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/abu-said-bahador-khan|title = Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica}}</ref>
*[[Bayan of the Merkid]], the Grand councillor of the Yuan dynasty, was awarded Baghatur for his merit during the Ogedeid-Yuan conflict.<ref>Ed. Herbert Franke and others – ''The Cambridge History of China'': Volume 6, Alien Regimes and Border States, 710–1368, p.568</ref>
*Two [[Mughal Empire|Mughal emperors]] used the regnal name Bahadur Shah: [[Bahadur Shah I]] (also called ''Shah Alam I''), and Bahadur Shah II, more commonly referred to as [[Bahadur Shah Zafar|Bahadur Shah ''Zafar'']], incorporating his [[takhallus]], or pen name as a poet.
*[[Banda Singh Bahadur]], [[Sikh]] warrior and general
*[[Altani]], relative of Genghis Khan
*[[Stephen Báthory]] (1533–1586), Prince of Transylvania, and King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
*[[Erdeni Batur]], founder of the [[Dzungar Khanate]].
*[[Abu al-Ghazi Bahadur]], ruler of the [[Khanate of Khiva]], had the title of Bahadur Khan. He wrote the famous epic of the Mongols called the genealogical tree of the Mongols (or General history of Tatars).
*[[Khengarji III]], was the first ruler of [[Kutch]] to be given title of ''Sawai Bahadur''.
*[[Vijayarajaji]], ruler of [[Kutch]], used Bahadur as a hereditary title.
*[[Madansinhji]], ruler of [[Kutch]], used Bahadur as a hereditary title.
*Field Marshal [[Sam Manekshaw]], the second Indian soldier to be so honored, was known as "Sam Bahadur."
*[[Damdin Sükhbaatar]], was a founding member of the [[Mongolian People's Party]] and leader of the Mongolian partisan army that liberated [[Khüree]] during the [[Mongolian Revolution of 1921]]. Enshrined as the "Father of Mongolia's Revolution", he is remembered as one of the most important figures in Mongolia's struggle for independence.
*[[Osman Batur]], a [[Chinese warlord]] of [[Kazakhs|Kazakh]] ethnicity
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
==References==
*{{cite book |last=Beckwith |first=Christopher I. |author-link=Christopher I. Beckwith |date=16 March 2009 |title=Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5jG1eHe3y4EC |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |isbn=978-0691135892 |access-date=30 May 2015 }}
*Brook, Kevin Alan. ''The Jews of Khazaria.'' 3rd ed. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2018. {{ISBN|9781538103425}}
*Grousset, René. ''The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia''. Rutgers University Press, 1970. {{ISBN|9780813513041}}
*Saunders, J. J. ''The History of the Mongol Conquests''. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001. {{ISBN|9780812217667}}
[[Category:Turkish titles]]
[[Category:Honorary titles]]
[[Category:Mongol Empire]]
[[Category:Chinese royal titles]]
[[Category:Bulgarian noble titles]]
[[Category:Titles of the Göktürks]]